Railroad-crossing



J. H. MANGA N. RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL;

APPLICATION FILED JAN.28, I916. 1,307,916,

Patnted'June 24, 1919,

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

witncooeo J.-H. MANGAN. RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL.

' APPLIEATION FILED JAN. 28.1916. 1,307,916. Patented J une 24, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES HENRY MANGAN, OF NEW HAMPTON, IOWA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING. SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1919.

Application filed January 28, 1916. Serial No. 74,920.

This invention relates generally to sig' nals, and may be more particularly associated with means for indicating at a railway crossing the approach of trains or cars from either direction.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a signaling mechanism which may be actuated by an oncoming train towarn personsata distant grade crossing of the approach of the train, and also to operate the signal to indicate clear after the train has passed the crossing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signal of the class descrlbed which is capable of indicating to persons at a railway crossing the approach of trains either by day or by night,,-and which is so con- 'struoted that the device will be prevented from becoming derangedor inoperative, either by reason of defective mechanism or from storm or heavy weather.

A still further object of theinvention is to provide a device ofthe character described which is of comparatively simple construction, which is automatic in operation, which 15 easily installed, which is nsured against derangement ofthe various parts, and which will prove at all times positive and efficient inoperation. 1 v

VViththese objects in View, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more-fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the ap ended claim.

' The invention will ebest understood by reference-to the accompanying drawings, wherein: I

Figure' l, is a diagrammatic View of a railway grade crossing, indicating the application of a signaling mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical s ect1o nal view taken through one of the signaling 55 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out the invention, use is made posts employed in carrying out the invention,

of signal arms mounted upon a roadway adjacent a railroad 'track.' the said signal arms being adapted to be swung across or back from the road accordingly as a train approaches or departs from the crossing with which the signal arm is associated. To this end, upon the roadway adjacent the track a suitable post is mounted, the said post carrying a revolublc shaft supporting a signal arm, the said post being equipped with a motor for rotating the shaft, an electrical connection between the motor and the track whereby contacts depressed by an approaching train will actuate the motor to swing said signal arm in danger position, and contacts located beyond the crossi which may be actuated by the depart-in, train to reverse themotor to swing the sig nal arm to indicate clear. In order that the signal may be readily observed after nightfall, an electric lamp may be mounted upon the signal arm, and contacts are arranged within the post whereby the lamp will only be illuminated upon the approach of a train.

In further carrying out the invention, a post 6 is secured to extend above the ground adjacent the road ay a Sl iltfible': distance be yond therailway crossing, the "i post being formed at its lower end with a base 7 whereby the same may be rigidly anchored to the gi'ound. Mounted in any suitable manner upon the upper end of the post, is ahousnig- 8., the said. housing being prefer ably of greater. dimensions than the post for the accommodation of the mechanism for operating the signal. The housing is prefhousing in any preferred manner. Mounted for rotary movement within the tubular member is a shaft 10. -This shaft projects at one end into the housing and is supported at the base thereof by a suitable thrust bearing on the direction of the current. 'm0 tor is mounted within the housing 8, and

its gear 19 enmeshing with a gear or seging 11, and projects at its opposite I end slightly beyond the corresponding end of the tubular member 9. An elbow 12 may be rigidly secured to thelatter end of the shaft 10, the said elbow being provided at its lower end with an enlarged head or cap member, from which an annular flange 13 depends. The .head or cap is of such di-. ameter as to inclose the ad acent end of the tubular member 9, the said tubular member being provided with a ring 14 within which. ball. bearings 15 may be arranged. The bearings 15 project slightly beyond the edge of the tubular member and the ring, and support the elbow through the cap. It is apparent that this construction enables the shaft 10 to be freely rotated with the least possible amount of friction. Projecting laterally from the elbow 12, and preferably at such angle as to swing horizontally across a roadway, is a signal arm 16. The said signal arm may be provided with a sign-member 17 bearing any suitable warning inscription.

As a convenient means for imparting rotary movement to the shaft 10 at predetermined times, a motor 18 is provided, thedirection of rotation of said motor depend.

' his mom 20 secured upon the shaft-1 To limit the movement of the shaft 10 in either direction, stops 21 are provided. These stops may be arranged adjacent the base ofthe shaft 10, and are adapted to be contactcd by a projection or lug 22 on the said shaft. The stop arrangement is such that when the signal arm is projected across ther-oad the same will be prevented from further movement, and when the arm has been swung in reverse direction to lie paral lel with the road, the opposite stop will operateto limit said movement.

In order that the signal will be visible after dark, a lamp 23 is arranged upon the signal arm. This lamp is preferably one of the incandescent type and may be colored red if desired. WVires 24 lead from the lamp through the slgnal arm 16, bracket 12, and shaft 10, and are connected respectively with 4 contacts 25 and 26 upon the interior of the tubular member and exterior of the shaft 10 respectively. A suitable source of electrical energy, such as a battery 27, is in the lamp circuit, and will be observed with articular reference to Fig. 4 of the drawmgthat when the arm 16 is swung to such position as to lie across-the roadway the contacts 25, 26 will be engaged and the circuit completed.- v

' From the above description, it is apparent. that when the motor 18 is energized torotate its gear 19' in one direction, the shaft 10 will be at once rotated to swing the arm ingly as 16 across: or back from the roadway accord- ;he gear 19 is rotated. Assuming that the rm 16 has been swung to danger position, the same may be retracted or withdrawn from the roadway by reversing the movement of the motor 18. It isalso to be observed that upon extreme movement of the arm 16 in either direction, the same Wlll be held against further movement by the stops 21, 22.

As an efficient means for actuating the signal automatically upon the approach or departure of a train, contacts may be arranged adjacent the railway rails to be operated upon by the wheels of the cars. A pair of contacts 28 of conventional form are located adjacent each of the railway tracks a'suitable distance in advance of the railway crossing.

The motor 18 is of that conventional form in which the field is provided with two opposite windings both of which are in series with the armature. so that when one field winding the motor 18 is a wire 29 that is connectedwith a wire 29 that connects corresponding contacts of the two pairs of contacts 28 illustrated as associated-with the two tracks of the double trackway illustrated in Fig. 1. The other contacts of the two pairs 28 are connected by means of a wire 30 from which leads a wire 30 to one side of a battery31, the other side of which leads to the free terminal of the armaturewinding of the motor, the other terminal being of. course connected with the mutually connected terminals of the field windings. At the opposite side of the rallroad crossing from each pair of the contacts 28 there are arranged, on the corresponding tracks of the. double trackway, a pair of contacts 32. One contact of each pair 32 is connected with the cor-responding contact of the other pair 32 by means of a wire 33 which is connected .by means of a wire 33' with the free terminal of the second field winding. The other terminal of one of the pairs of contacts 32 is connected by a wire 33 with the wire '30 and thence through the wire 30' to the battery 31 while the corresponding contact of the other pair 32. is connected'by a' wire .32- to the wire 30 andthence through the wire'30' to the battery 31. It will thus be seen that one contact of each pair is in circuit with the same terminal of thebattery 31 while the remaining contacts of corresponding pairs are connectfsures may have any of the ordinary constructions for holdin them closed a sufii ciently long time to e ect the shifting of the signal." Thermostatically operated cut-outs are common and that type may be used if desired.

It will be seen from the construction of the 0st for supporting the signal operating .mec anism that .the same will he'insured against access of rain, snow or sleet to the interior thereoi. Particular attention in this respect is directed to the specific form of ball bearingjoint which I have arranged at the top end of the tubular member 9. It is also apparent that the simplicity of the operating elements of the device insures positive'operation at all times, and also renders the liability of derangement of any of the parts exceedingly remote; The diagrammatic view of the wirmg and contacts is merely shown for the purpose of indicating a complete signaling system, and it is to be understood that such wiring and contact systems as should be one shown.

found desirable may be used instead of the I am also aware that various changes in the minor details of construction may he made, and I-reserve to myself the right to resort to such changes as I may see fit without departing from the spirit oi: the invention.

I claim:

In a railway crossing signal, a casing, a tubular post extending upwardly from the casing, an annular bearing member at the upper end of the tubular post, a shaft within the tuhulanpost and having bearing engagement in the casing, a tubular elbow member having one end portion threadedly receiving the upper endof the shaft, a signal arm threaded in the other end of the elbow member, alateral flange on the first specified end of the elbow member in bearing connection with the bearing member of the post, and

means within the casing for rotating the shaft in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses. JAMES HENRY MANGAN. Witnesses: V

A. J. KoL'rHorF, H. A. KLATT. 

